I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 9122 

To amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 so that procedures relating to termination of electric service provide that such service 

may not be terminated during any extreme heat weather event or extreme 

cold weather event, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 24, 2024 

Ms. DELBENE (for herself and Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 

so that procedures relating to termination of electric 

service provide that such service may not be terminated 

during any extreme heat weather event or extreme cold 

weather event, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Preventing Unneces5 sary Deaths During Life-Threatening Events Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. EXTREME HEAT AND EXTREME COLD WEATHER 

2 EVENTS. 

3 Section 115(g) of the Public Utility Regulatory Poli4 cies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2625(g)) is amended— 

5 (1) by inserting ‘‘, subject to paragraph (4)’’ 

6 after ‘‘nonregulated electric utility which provide 

7 that’’; 

8 (2) in paragraph (2)— 

9 (A) by inserting ‘‘electric service may not 

10 be terminated’’ before ‘‘during any period’’; 

11 (B) by striking ‘‘installments,’’ and insert12 ing ‘‘installments.’’; 

13 (C) by striking ‘‘such service may not be 

14 terminated.’’; and 

15 (D) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) 

16 and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively; 

17 (3) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as 

18 subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively; 

19 (4) by striking ‘‘The procedures for termination 

20 of service’’ and inserting the following: 

21 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The procedures for termi22 nation of service’’; and 

23 (5) by striking ‘‘Such procedures shall take into 

24 account the need to include reasonable provisions for 

25 elderly and handicapped consumers.’’ and inserting 

26 the following: 


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1 ‘‘(2) ELDERLY CONSUMERS AND CONSUMERS

2 WITH DISABILITIES.—Procedures described in para3 graph (1) shall take into account the need to include 

4 reasonable provisions for elderly consumers and con5 sumers with disabilities. 

6 ‘‘(3) EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS.—For pur7 poses of paragraph (1)(B), any period of an extreme 

8 heat weather event or extreme cold weather event, as 

9 determined by the State regulatory authority (with 

10 respect to an electric utility for which it has rate11 making authority) or the nonregulated electric util12 ity, shall be considered to be a period when termi13 nation of service to an electric consumer would be 

14 especially dangerous to health. 

15 ‘‘(4) LIMITATION.—Procedures described in 

16 paragraph (1) may authorize temporary suspension 

17 of electric service to specific areas as required for 

18 the safe operation and maintenance of the infra19 structure of the applicable electric utility, including 

20 to reduce the risk of fires caused by such infrastruc21 ture. 

22 ‘‘(5) UPDATED PROCEDURES.—Procedures de23 scribed in paragraph (1) shall be updated, as nec24 essary, by the State regulatory authority (with re25 spect to electric utilities for which it has ratemaking 


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1 authority) or by the nonregulated electric utility at 

2 least once every 10 years, including to reflect the 

3 best available science with respect to changing cli4 mate conditions.’’. 

Æ 


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